Cheating in School: How One Mom Handled a Minor Incident

The school year has only just begun, but the pressure to keep up and succeed at all costs drive many students to cheat. Teachers spend far too much time checking for plagiarism and policing tests. When I received a call at work last week that my son was caught cheating, I was shocked. He was student of the month, the captain of the football team and most importantly I knew he had all his homework done and was well-prepared for the upcoming tests.

Cheating incident
After listening to the teacher explain the situation I have to differ with his assessment. Apparently my son showed his word find answers to another classmate, yes you read that correctly, a word find. Although technically cheating since the other boy did not take the time to find all the words, the label seemed a bit harsh seeing it was a puzzle, but more disconcerting since it was a first time offense, my son had to sit the bench for at the upcoming football game. The punishment hardly fit the crime in my opinion.

Where do I stand?
I had a decision to make while on the phone with the teacher. I could either argue my son's case, or accept the final decision. I decided to side with the teacher. While I still feel the punishment was harsh and the label uncalled for, the truth is this is not an issue I want to deal with in the future. He was not found copying another students work, which I am happy to hear, but in letting someone else copy, he was opening the door to more deception.

Excuses and opportunities
He was helping his friend with a tough word find and saw it exactly as that, helping a friend. It did not occur to him it was cheating, but since it was, I had to let him know this was not an option. Middle school is a tough adjustment but I do not want him to find any short-cuts. In a study by the Center for Academic Integrity, over 75-percent of surveyed college students from 21 campuses admitted to cheating. Between programmable calculators, access to the Internet and a host of cheat sites, the field only continues to grow.

Use the teachable moment
Overall, I am thankful for this incident because it led to an opportunity to discuss some important information. We talked about respecting authorities, such as his teacher and his coach, as well as respecting himself and the hard work he puts in. Sharing answers is not fair to his classmates, his teachers or himself. Kids will make mistakes, and I have learned it is wise not to skip over the small mistakes, instead use that time to set up firmer boundaries. Time will tell if the character lessons took root, but in the meantime I am grateful for the teachable moment.